Picking up where the old-school Land Rover Defender left off, the Ineos Grenadier has been in production for the US since late September. Deliveries start this month, and in case you haven't seen it yet, the off-roader's configurator is great. It feels like you're customizing a vehicle in a video game with four backgrounds to choose from: Indoor, Iceland, The Alps, and Canyonlands.
The configurator reveals quite a few interesting features, some of which are standard while others cost extra. For example, the rear-mounted access ladder and the safari windows are included in this $79,190 Fieldmaster Edition we've decided to highlight. The $585 exterior utility belt is essentially an attachment system to anchor extra storage space or leisure equipment when going camping or overloading. The optional item that stands out is the national flag plaque for $95.
Ineos Grenadier US configurator
The American flag is proudly positioned only on the right fender, but it can’t be ordered if you choose the Grenadier with the raised air intake (snorkel). It's a dealer-installed option and replaces the twin flag badge. Other regional configurators show the country's respective flag in a bid to "add a personal touch to your vehicle by adding your national flag plaque." Non-car people might think the flag denotes where the vehicle is built, but that's only true for ones carrying the French flag. Sorry, 'Murica.
The Grenadier is manufactured at the Hambach factory where Daimler used to make Smart cars. The engines are of German origin since the SUV is powered by inline-sixes from BMW, and the ZF eight-speed transmission is German, too. As for Ineos Automotive, it's headquartered in the UK and is part of the Ineos Group, a London-based British multinational chemicals company. Bringing the Grenadier to life is truly a global effort.
In the US, Ineos only sells the Grenadier as a gasoline-fueled SUV with the BMW B58 3.0-liter engine but other markets are also getting the Quartermarster dual cab pickup truck, complete with a B57 diesel of the same Bavarian origins. The SUV sold here starts at $71,500 but you can spend well over $90,000 for a fully loaded version.
On top of that snorkel we mentioned earlier, you can add a $395 cyclone pre-cleaner that spins the air before it enters the raised air duct. It applies a centrifugal effect to the dust and dirt, therefore making it suitable for rough environments.
You can play with the configurator at the source link below.
